Churches launch campaign to challenge Tommy Robinson’s 'Put the Christ back into Christmas' event in central London next Sunday, by promoting a Christmas message of 'love your neighbour' and resisting 'agendas of division and hostility'

A Christmas Tree has been put up in Manger Square, Bethlehem, for the first time in two years, as amid a fragile ceasefire, residents seek to 'reignite the spirit of Christmas and to reignite hope'

Religion news 8 December 2025 ➡️ Churches challenge Christian nationalist agenda this Christmas ➡️ Christmas tree returns to Manger Square in Bethlehem ➡️ Arsenal’s ‘Bible Boys’ and how prayer propels them to win ➡️ Bangor Cathedral’s music director sacked

A Vatican Commission has decided against admitting women to the diaconate at present, although it says this decision is not definitive. Historical research, theological arguments and implications 'do not support a change', but discussions can continue.

House of Lords resumes debate on Assisted Dying bill today, amid revelation that Labour discussed how to get the measure through via a private members' bill, before the election

Religion news 5 December 2025 ➡️ Labour discussed Assisted Dying private member’s bill before election ➡️ Public support for inclusive RE in Northern Ireland ➡️ Vatican decides against women deacons at present ➡️ Unite the Kingdom carol concert in London

The Syro-Malankara Church, an ancient Christian community based in Kerala, south India, is appointing its first bishop in Britain, to serve a growing church which has developed largely due to NHS recruitment. Catherine Pepinster reports:

The FA is putting on a Christmas event at Wembley stadium, showing the place of Christianity in the beautiful game. Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas will interview players and coaches, and a Salvation Army band will lead a carol service beside the pitch.

Religion news 3 December 2025 ➡️ Chief Imam: ‘Choose dialogue to prevent civic fracture' ➡️ Changing landscape of faith in Britain ➡️ Church Commissioners’ aim to stop investing in oppressive regimes ➡️ Run a 'Blue Christmas service' to welcome single people

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Yoni Finlay, who was shot in the attack on Heaton Park synagogue, has told journalists he felt he was in the presence of evil. He said there is an undercurrent of antisemitism in society and there has to be 'a real change' to stop it.

Religion news 2 December 2025 ➡️ Dublin's Herzog park name change proposal is withdrawn ➡️ Heaton Park synagogue survivor: antisemitism must stop ➡️ Pope Leo’s message of peace in Lebanon ➡️ Three Austrian nuns in their 80s win right to stay in convent

The Dean of Salisbury says he can see a glimpse of the divine even in the season’s tackier trappings: 'Christmas jumpers are tasteless. And here’s the thing. God is tasteless too.' Report by @kayaburgess.bsky.social:

Jewish Representative Council of Ireland has expressed concern over plans to rename Herzog Park in south Dublin, warning the move could be seen as “an attempt to erase our Irish Jewish history.”

Religion news 1 December 2025 ➡️ Pope Leo appeals for peace on Turkey-Lebanon visit ➡️ Badenoch: ‘you can argue that welfare spending is un-Christian’ ➡️ Herzog Park renaming plan ‘disgraceful’ ➡️ Christmas with a grumpy owl and tasteless festive jumpers

Pope Leo XIV urged the people of Turkey to be a source of stability and dialogue in a world riven by conflict. He warned of a “heightened level of global conflict” and said “a third world war is being fought piecemeal… The future of humanity is at stake.”

Religion news 28 November 2025 ➡️ Pope starts visit to Turkey with warning of third world war ➡️ UK interfaith leaders chart the future of multi-faith collaboration ➡️ Bishop of Chelmsford ‘bitterly regrets’ LGBTQ+ people have been failed by the church

'Light the World' charity-gift vending machines return to Spitalfields & Birmingham for Christmas. Shoppers tap to buy items like food parcels or clean water kits from charity partners. Run by the LDS Church, the global scheme has raised $50m since 201: ow.ly/AIV350XyyNm

Pope Leo's visit to Turkey and Lebanon will include a service marking the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which produced the Nicene Creed; and Mass by the waterfront at Beirut Port, where an explosion killed 220 people. Catherine Pepinster explains:

Religion news 27 November 2025 ➡️ Faith response to the budget ➡️ Pope Leo starts first international visit in Turkey ➡️ More time allocated for Lords debate on assisted dying bill ➡️ ‘Light the World’ charity vending gift machines launch for Christmas

Christmas and New Year religious programming schedules include Princess of Wales carol service, Christmas meditation by the Bishop of Washington Mariann Budde, and New Year message from the next Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally

Lamorna Ash charts the invoking of Christianity by the British right, from establishment figures to Unite the Kingdom, and suggests that “powerful backers and strategists on the US Christian right increasingly see Britain as fertile ground for its movement”

Religion news 26 November 2025 ➡️ Jewish Labour peer says Nigel Farage should come clean and apologise ➡️ National Trust 'denies permission' to film St Cuthbert’s Cave ➡️ Christmas and New Year TV and radio schedules

Fr Sion Hughes Carew, a Lincoln parish priest, faces a disciplinary after crashing the bishop’s car while three times the limit following a celebratory birthday drink. Driving barefoot, he hit a Skoda then rolled into a wall.

A coalition of 18 faith organisations is calling on the Chancellor to tax the super-rich, make capital gains tax the same rate as income tax, and resource HMRC to close the tax gap, when she delivers the budget on Wednesday

Religion news 25 November 2025 ➡️ Faith organisations urge Chancellor to tax the super-rich ➡️ Catholic bishop ‘disappointed’ with outcome of COP30 ➡️ Anger at protests outside Jewish synagogue in London ➡️ Over the limit priest crashes bishop's car

New academic course on moon sighting for British Muslims to learn how to sight the crescent moon, which marks the start and end dates of Islamic festivals. Aims to help decide agreed dates for festivals in Britain. Report by @hyphenonline.com:

Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani says the Archbishop of Canterbury has one of Britain’s 'impossible jobs' due to 'inhumane' expectations. She told @kayaburgess.bsky.social she was uncomfortable being the bookies’ favourite for the role and is happy in Chelmsford.

Religion news 24 November 2025 ➡️ Nations’ favourite assembly hymn: Shine Jesus Shine ➡️ Pope urges swift action after 315 children kidnapped in Nigeria ➡️ US clerical revolt could ‘shame and tame’ Trump ➡️ Moonsighting course to decide British lunar dates

Christian tech company Breeze Translate creates QR-code system to live-translate church services for Christmas, to ensure that "whether a visitor speaks Farsi, Spanish or Mandarin, they can understand the message of hope in their local church"

Report finds a third of Catholic priests ordained from 1992 to 2024 were former Anglican clergy. Prof Stephen Bullivant said there was “unequivocally a surge” in conversions following a vote in 1992 to allow women to become CofE vicars.

Religion news 21 November 2025 ➡️ One-third of Catholic priests since 1992 were ex-Anglicans ➡️ British Jews shift from Labour and Tories for Greens/Reform ➡️ Orange hearts to show support for refugees ➡️ QR code enables live translated Christmas services

Former faith minister Lord Khan says people are frustrated by delays to an Islamophobia definition. He has no hard feelings about losing his job and is 'busier than ever,' focused on interfaith work and community cohesion. @mairabutt.bsky.social reports:

UK Supreme Court rules that Christian focused RE in Northern Ireland schools is unlawful and amounts to indoctrination as it is not conveyed in 'an objective, critical, and pluralistic manner'. A review and study point to worldviews approach.

Religion news 20 November 2025 ➡️ Christian focused RE in N Ireland judged unlawful ➡️ Archbishop of York: Israel committed ‘genocidal acts’ ➡️ Lord Khan - Islamophobia definition has taken ‘far too long’ ➡️ $2.4 trillion Halal economy showcased at ExCel

While the Home Secretary unveiled asylum reforms to MPs, the UN HIgh Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, spoke in Westminster Abbey of the obligation to people fleeing war and persecution, who 'must not be turned back or left to die'. Catherine Pepinster reports:

Religion news 19 November 2025 ➡️ Decline in marriages and steep decline in religious ceremonies ➡️ Pope criticises 'disrespectful treatment' of migrants in the US ➡️ Robust argument over theory of a ‘Quiet Revival’ ➡️ Holocaust survivor dies aged 95

As MPs debated asylum reforms, across the road at Westminster Abbey, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees told an audience that nations must not retreat from their duty to protect people fleeing war and persecution, and must find courage to welcome them

Pope Leo says not enough progress is being made at the COP30 climate change summit in Brazil, and there must be action as God’s creation is 'crying out' with floods, droughts, storms and relentless heat

Interview with Cardinal Vincent Nichols as he approaches retirement reveals his fear that Britain is fragmenting and has lost a sense of belonging. Catherine Pepinster reports on what he has to say about the challenges and highlights of his 16 years in office: https://ow.ly/Yk1050Xtn3l

Religion news 18 November 2025 ➡️ Asylum reform - Bishop 'shaken to the core', Jesuit Refugee Service - 'it will inflict profound harm', UNHCR will review detail ➡️ Pope Leo calls for action on climate change ➡️ Freedom of religion & belief school resources

In a wide-ranging interview to mark his 80th birthday and as he approaches retirement as archbishop, Cardinal Vincent Nichols told Roger Bolton that in Britain today it is “difficult to be explicit and profound about a sense of belonging". 📺 Watch the full interview: ow.ly/iW4650XszUl

Religion news 17 November 2025 ➡️ Cardinal Vincent Nichols warns Britain is fragmenting ➡️ UN High Commissioner for Refugees speaks at Westminster Abbey as MPs debate asylum reforms ➡️ Pope praises film industry saying cinema ‘awakens the light of the soul’

A married couple sacked by the Vatican bank last year for breaking internal regulations forbidding workplace marriages, have won their jobs back. Their union called the settlement 'a victory of common sense'.

Good statement from the US conference of Catholic Bishops

Prime Minister commits to working with faith groups on social cohesion. He tells a reception at Number Ten that he's more worried about cohesion than he has been for many years, and recognises that interfaith work has been 'severely tested'

Visiting the West Bank, Stephen Cottrell apologised for CofE's slow response to hostilities there, and was moved to tears on hearing stories of Palestinian Christian women, saying 'Tears are a sign that hearts have been touched' @churchtimes.bsky.social

Religion news 14 November 2025 ➡️ Babies and toddlers referred to Prevent ➡️ Concern that BBC crisis risks future of religious broadcasting ➡️ Informal religious education needed across society not just in school ➡️ Archbishop in tears over West Bank stories

Community leaders taking part in a Religion Media Centre briefing said that, two years on from the Hamas attack on Israel, there is a growing desire to rebuild good relations — despite continuing anxiety and mistrust

Bishop Sarah Mullally told the Lords she opposes moves to stop asylum seekers citing religious persecution if they convert to Christianity once in the UK. She said there’s no evidence of fake conversions and clergy are trained to discern genuine faith.